175 
ing is said to be heard at a great distance. It has been introduced 
in several places to assemble the people. 
The patent-office is in the same building with the post-office. 
They pointed out to me two large gilt frames with the arms of 
France and Navarre. They hung before the catastrophe of 1814, 
in the house of the president, and contained full length portraits 
of Louis XVI. # and Marie Antoinette, which were presented in 
1783, by those unfortunate monarchs to the United States, at their 
especial desire. Both portraits suddenly disappeared, and it is 
believed that it happened in 1814, when the English made their 
unexpected visit to Washington, and burnt down the house of the 
president. 
The patent-office is under the direction of Dr. Thornton/* who 
is an able draughtsman. Under Dr. Thornton, a Swiss is em¬ 
ployed, whose name is Keller, a very able mechanic, and inspec¬ 
tor of the model room, who explained every thing to me. Dr. 
Thornton was so kind as to accompany me to a sculptor, who, 
by means of casting a mould upon the face, obtains a striking 
resemblance, and has made busts of the first American states¬ 
men, &c. 
I arranged a party to the Falls of Potomac, with Mr. De Bres¬ 
son, sixteen miles distant, where we were accompanied by Mr. 
Huygens, Jr. On the 6th of November, at nine o’clock, we left 
Washington and went five miles upon a very rough road, along the 
left bank of the river, which is at first very broad. Both shores 
are hilly and covered with wood, for the most part hickory and 
different species of oak. Of the primitive woods nothing is to be 
seen, for generally the wood is second growth. The banks soon 
became rocky, and we observed even in the river some pro¬ 
jecting rocks. On the left shore they have dug a canal, this, how¬ 
ever is too narrow, and only navigable by long boats, resembling 
the Durham-boats on the St. Lawrence river. In these boats, 
wood, lumber, stones, especially mill-stones, and the harvest from 
the upper countries, are carried to Washington. 
Five miles above the city, we went over, on a hanging bridge, 
to the right shore. The chains consist of bars of wrought iron. 
The bridge itself is of wood, as well as the two cross-beams 
standing on its extremities, through which the chains are passed; 
these cross-beams form a kind of entrance, having an Egyptian 
appearance. The length of the bridge is about one hundred and 
sixteen feet, its breadth sixteen feet. A rather high toll is paid 
for passing it; we paid a dollar and a half for a carriage with two 
horses, for going and coming. The road, passing almost inces- 
* [Since deceased. His place is supplied by Dr. Thomas P. Jones, of Phila¬ 
delphia.]—T rans. 
